Dan doesn't think you should have to chose Mac or PC. (Photo by MSFT employee Rob Vreeland of MurphyDogStudios.com)

The geek in question: Dan Wittmer
The job title: Senior Software Development Engineer, Macintosh Business Unit (Silicon Valley Campus)

How long have you been with the company?
My hire date was 2/25/2002, so it’s been almost seven years now entirely with MacBU. Prior to being hired, I interned twice with the Entourage team here in SVC. As a full time employee, I started on the Network library / MSN Client for the Mac, moved to Mac IE for the last patch, and subsequently moved Entourage, the email / PIM application that ships as part of Office for the Mac.

You’re an Apple dev working for Microsoft a few miles from Apple’s corporate headquarters in Cupertino. Why do you work for Microsoft instead of Apple? Continue reading →

Aradia surveys her dominion from atop a mushroom shaped throne.

The geek in question: Aradia Correnti

The job title: Program Manager, Mobile Communications Business/Windows Devices Core

What are you working on right now?
I’m the program manager for the out-of-box experience, and the connectivity user experience. I also work on integrating Windows Mobile services into the platform.

What’s your favorite Microsoft benefit?
Getting to be who I am. I can have my blue hair and my crazy clothing and talk about my music and not feel like I’m violating some corporate policy about not having an outside life. Microsoft really gets that intelligence and passion can come in any type of package imaginable.
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John Mulhausen can kick your butt at Super Mario Bros, and then tour across the country with his band.

The geek in question: John Mulhausen

The job title: SDET, Microsoft Game Studios

How long have you been with the company?
I started as a contractor in 2004, and then got hired on in 2005. I’ve been in my dream job with XBOX since July 2008.

Tell me about how you got this dream job.
I heard about a job with this central group, Microsoft Game Studios Test Org, that works with xbox developers, supporting every studio that Microsoft publishes. I studied my butt off and I had a lot of anxiety going into the interview. The day before I went to bed at like 9pm. I was like “I’m going to get 15 hours of sleep!” Getting this job was an obsession. Nothing but xbox games, and a new one all the time!
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